RJ02 - Reflective Journal Entry 2 - Due Saturday, February 6, 2010
Review your school's SALT visit report.
Describe two areas of improvement for your school as suggested by their SALT report.
For each area, explain how this is apparent in your classes.
After thorough review of documents, NKHS does not have a SALT REPORT published, however, on the North Kingstown School District website, the 2009-2014 strategic plan.
One of NKSD's goals for the next five years is to implements student's social and emotional wellness and fitness through extra-curricula activities and ongoing wellness programs for all students. This is apparent in the classroom and schools during the advisory period each day (Period 2) as NKHS is constantly involved in either community service, blood drives, bowl-a-thons, the weight loss challenge, Fit club sign ups, etc. Although I havent been in many high schools through out the state, there always seems to be something going on to keep the students involved and well-balanced. More so, the school tends to bridge the gap between the community and inside the walls of North Kingstown High School. For example, every Friday, the school chooses a charity or cause to raise funds for. Its called "Dress Down Friday's" where students and teachers are allowed to either dress down but must wear a color that is representative of a cause in addition to a small donation ($00.50) being collected for a fundraiser. Friday for example, was Dress for Red as a representation for heart disease awareness followed by a blood drive. This is a typical week at NKHS. I can say that already in 2010, the faculty and staff have done an amazing job getting students involved.
A second goal for NKSD is to achieve 75% proficiency within 2 years, 85% within 3 years, and so forth according to the NECAP Data which is retained per School District. From the school meetings that I have attended, teachers are becoming more aware of trying to cover GSEs. They have talked about modifying or scrapping quarterly projects and anchor assignments because it does not necessarily hit the GSEs although they all agree that they really enjoy doing the activities. When they were asked by the Dept Head to come up with a new anchor assignment for all 10th graderes, the science dept had a difficult time looking at a GSE and figuring out how to create an activity that hits the GSEs.
In my own classroom, my cooperating teacher tries to make an effort to cover material hits the GSEs. In addition, he makes the students aware that they must study material that is covered by the RI GSEs by having the students apply one of their journal entries (One out of every 5) to one of the RI GSEs. I think that NKHS is just at the very beginning stages of accepting that their curricula has to meet standards set by RIDE but more is in the process of becoming familiar with what the GSEs mean and how to apply them. I have shared the RI Science Teachers website and offered my suggestionsto create a fourth quarter project, but my ideas were rejected.
RJ02 - Reflective Journal Entry 2 - Due Saturday, February 6, 2010
After thorough review of documents, NKHS does not have a SALT REPORT published, however, on the North Kingstown School District website, the 2009-2014 strategic plan.
One of NKSD's goals for the next five years is to implements student's social and emotional wellness and fitness through extra-curricula activities and ongoing wellness programs for all students. This is apparent in the classroom and schools during the advisory period each day (Period 2) as NKHS is constantly involved in either community service, blood drives, bowl-a-thons, the weight loss challenge, Fit club sign ups, etc. Although I havent been in many high schools through out the state, there always seems to be something going on to keep the students involved and well-balanced. More so, the school tends to bridge the gap between the community and inside the walls of North Kingstown High School. For example, every Friday, the school chooses a charity or cause to raise funds for. Its called "Dress Down Friday's" where students and teachers are allowed to either dress down but must wear a color that is representative of a cause in addition to a small donation ($00.50) being collected for a fundraiser. Friday for example, was Dress for Red as a representation for heart disease awareness followed by a blood drive. This is a typical week at NKHS. I can say that already in 2010, the faculty and staff have done an amazing job getting students involved.
A second goal for NKSD is to achieve 75% proficiency within 2 years, 85% within 3 years, and so forth according to the NECAP Data which is retained per School District. From the school meetings that I have attended, teachers are becoming more aware of trying to cover GSEs. They have talked about modifying or scrapping quarterly projects and anchor assignments because it does not necessarily hit the GSEs although they all agree that they really enjoy doing the activities. When they were asked by the Dept Head to come up with a new anchor assignment for all 10th graderes, the science dept had a difficult time looking at a GSE and figuring out how to create an activity that hits the GSEs.
In my own classroom, my cooperating teacher tries to make an effort to cover material hits the GSEs. In addition, he makes the students aware that they must study material that is covered by the RI GSEs by having the students apply one of their journal entries (One out of every 5) to one of the RI GSEs. I think that NKHS is just at the very beginning stages of accepting that their curricula has to meet standards set by RIDE but more is in the process of becoming familiar with what the GSEs mean and how to apply them. I have shared the RI Science Teachers website and offered my suggestionsto create a fourth quarter project, but my ideas were rejected.